Research Unlocked: Skills for Understanding and Applying HDFS
HDFS 2300
3 hours
Research Unlocked: Skills for Understanding and Applying HDFS
Analytical Thinking
Course Description
An introduction to research in the field of Human Development
and Family Science and the skills necessary for understanding
and interpreting research, as well as integrating research into
writing across the curriculum.
Athena Title
Research Unlocked
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will learn to write for the discipline.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the contribution of original research in human development.
Students will explain the strengths and weaknesses of various research methods in assessing human behavior.
Students will successfully locate, read, and summarize published research related to a given topic.
Students will distinguish between qualitative and quantitative paradigms of research, and support, evaluate, and communicate conclusions based on quantitative or qualitative data.
Students will distinguish between types of measurement and causal relationships.
Students will critically evaluate the adequacy of a scientific study’s sampling, measurement, and design.
Students will critically consume scientific research to make and defend evidenced-based interpretations and identify and apply appropriate methodology or theoretical frameworks to inquiry.
Students will organize and synthesize evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, or similarities in a literature review.
Topical Outline
Course introduction
Why does research matter?
Finding, reading, and evaluating empirical sources
Ethical principles in research
Types of research: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Evaluation
Sampling basics: Who participates in research studies?
Measurement Basics and Causal Relationships: surveys, observations, etc.
Statistics Basics: Basic probability and statistical significance
Data visualization: Making sense of tables and figures
Drawing conclusions from the data
Research Implications
What happens next? Literature Review
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
